IN Jesus' temptations in the wilderness, after his fasting forty days and forty nights he became hungry. Mortal thoughts came tempting him, and he read them so perfectly and accurately that they seemed to speak aloud and say, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Then Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," meaning that man shall live by means of the thoughts—the angels—that come to him from God. Jesus' answer evidently convinced evil mortal thought that it was without power and he refused to yield to it on this line, and so that enemy was banished. This made Jesus stronger to resist the next temptation. Had he yielded he would have been weakened.
If all would constantly watch and instantly recognize each enemy suggestion as Jesus did, and would always do their work properly, there would be no drunkard on earth, no thief, no evildoer. There would be no criminal if one never committed the first crime. How important, then, it is to watch and see to it that every evil suggestion is destroyed by a clear and firm declaration of the truth. The successful Christian Scientist endeavors to do his work as Jesus did his. He realizes the truth about everything. He firmly protects his thought against the belief that man is material or that matter has anything to do with existence. He endeavors continuously to be governed by the one divine Mind. He perceives how good and beautiful it is to realize and perform the demands of this Mind, which is constantly unfolding good to man.
He strives to follow the example of our dear Master. He resists wrong by knowing the right. He affirms the truth and knows that he lives by the power of Truth. He finally comes to have such a certain knowledge and understanding that he does not always have to resist or deny the evil specifically, but knows the truth, until harmony is accomplished. Yet he remembers that Jesus did deny the power of evil and said, "Get thee hence, Satan," and affirmed the truth, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The devil then left him. Thus Jesus grew in true firmness and in the understanding of spiritual power as each temptation was met and mastered.
The true Christian Scientist knows that as Jesus overcame and gained victories over evil, and angels came and ministered unto him, so will it be with all spiritually scientific workers. And who has not had angels come and minister unto him after he has gained some victory over sin or disease? The Christian Scientist knows that his life will be like unto the life of Jesus in the ratio of his demonstration over evil. He knows that as it became easy for Jesus to overcome sin and disease, so will it be for him when he rises high enough in understanding. And he knows that he will conquer quickly as he learns not to parley with evil and not to permit it an entrance into his pure thought. He knows that as he is firmly convinced of the all-power of God he will vanquish the foe. He knows that evil would have him be content with slow progress in overcoming faults, and that the argument of the carnal mind is that this is the natural way.
The Christian Scientist remembers that Jesus was always on watch, that he was awake—awake even when asleep, in that while he slept as other men his thoughts remained true; that he was strong in faith when meeting the devil of trouble at every assault, and that it was by knowing the truth that Jesus did his work. The Christian Scientist knows that it was not the object of Jesus that some of his teaching should be only for people of his day or that people of this day should be barred from good. He knows that he has a right to expect the best health and happiness if he constantly turns to God with all his heart and understanding, and that this applies to business as well as to all of the affairs of life. He knows that he has never done his best until he has attained perfect success in the good he should accomplish.
Then what of the times when we do not make the best efforts of which we are capable? Ought we not to remember that our health and our happiness demand our best efforts every minute of our lives? If we make a mistake in adding a column of figures, do we expect to escape correcting that error before we get the correct result? Did not Jesus give us the correct rule to live by every day of our lives? Then why do we not work by this rule instead of being half-hearted and complaining when the healing does not come? There are very few who do not want to rise above their troubles. But what is the best way to do this? Do we not have to understand the simple rules of addition and subtraction before we can work in division? Do we not have to make due preparation and obey the rules in order to overcome the troubles in life's walk? Do we not need first of all the understanding that God is the only power? And after that can we stand without constant watching and praying? If we ourselves practice this daily spiritual watching, then are we not able to parry every attack of error with readiness and skill?
Does the Christian Scientist wonder why he does not heal himself or others more quickly, why his demonstrations are not instantaneous? He knows there is a good reason when he succeeds and that there is also a reason when he does not succeed. Let him honestly ask himself what that reason is. When one has his mind full of error the result will be error, and when it is filled with good the result will be good. When one passes harsh condemnation on another, or is unkind to his servant, or his dog, or his beast of burden, or when he fails to guard his thoughts or his tongue with the shield of patience and love and kindly consideration, he is storing that which will have to be cleaned out before he can demonstrate health or success. Does one think of others as he would have every one think of him? Ought one not to think of every one as tenderly as if he were a member of his own family? Would one think of parading the faults of his mother? Why should one not observe the same rules in thinking of others as he would were they members of his own household?
The Christian Scientist does not criticize God when the disease does not yield. He knows that as long as the sin continues so long does the failure remain. He knows that when he has done all that should be done, harmony appears if he does his work with understanding. He knows he cannot escape correcting the wrong in thought and action before obtaining the correct result in any problem he is working out. He knows that when he has risen to his highest endeavor he is fulfilling the Scriptural saying, "Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee." That is, the things that were hard for him as he journeyed through the fields of life are now in league with him, for the stones are of service and the beasts tame. He knows they have been his friends, for they have compelled him to know the truth and rise over the difficult and hard things. The Christ still says unto him: "Come unto me, . . . and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me . . . and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The Christian Scientist is able to prove these things and to know that hatred and all hard things will melt into nothingness. Then "there shall be no more a pricking brier . . . nor any grieving thorn." He knows now that mortal mind with its brood of evil can no more prick and give pain, because only that which soothes and heals is good and real. He knows that the angels will continually come to him as they did to Jesus when he cut down the pricking briers of trouble and the grieving thorns of evil, when he said to the devil, "Get thee hence, Satan."
The faithful Christian Scientist awakens each day to better work and greater effort. He knows that laziness does not bring victory. He knows that his work should be persistent, his courage indomitable. He loves God with all his might and his neighbor as himself. He can have but the one God, infinite Mind, and he must hold fast to that Mind. He knows that if his demonstration is not made to-day there is nothing to discourage him. He greatly desires to see all of his mistakes, to correct and thoroughly destroy them. He apologizes for these mistakes and asks those whom he may have offended to forgive him. He examines himself often to lay bare his sins for destruction, and if a person tells him of his errors he is ready to "listen patiently," in obedience to our Leader's admonition in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 8) where she says: "We should examine ourselves and learn what is the affection and purpose of the heart, for in this way only can we learn what we honestly are. If a friend informs us of a fault, do we listen patiently to the rebuke and credit what is said?"
